This Holiday Ad for Dick’s Sporting Goods May Be the Season’s Sweetest Yet

A local coach gets a special gift

Here's a Christmas commercial that's sure to bring a smile to your face.

Dick's Sporting Goods has released a minute-long ad, directed by Derek Cianfrance, about a special gift for a local family man who is also a kids' soccer coach.

The commercial is another winsome piece by Anomaly, focused on a love of the game that fuels everyman athletics (as opposed to the pro-level endorsements and flashy gimmicks common in the category). This time, that small-town mythology comes with an especially touching twist ending.

The result is shamelessly manipulative in the best possible way. It's deliberately unpretentious and ultimately incredibly sweet. And though the payoff is broad, the gift's specificity keeps the ad feeling credible but relatable (perhaps in part because the family is reportedly a real one).

This is an appropriate follow-up to Dick's father-daughter basketball spot from last year, even if it isn't quite as heart-melting. Then again, that'd be a pretty tall order … so this year, quietly charming might just have to do.